Who's Fabian? 🔥🔥🔥I swallowed hard. This was worse than I’d imagined. Fabian wasn’t just trying to manipulate me; he was setting the stage for a full-blown coup. If I gave him what he wanted, it could spell the end of Simon, Lucas, and everything they had built. But if I refused… I didn’t want to think about what Fabian might do to me, or worse, what he might reveal.“You’re asking me to betray the very people I swore to protect,” I said, trying to appeal to whatever shred of decency he might still have.“No, my dear. I’m asking you to survive. Do this, and you might just live to see another day as Queen.”There was a twisted logic in his words, one that made my stomach churn. I knew Fabian well enough to realize that he wouldn’t hesitate to destroy me if I became useless to him. But I also knew that if I played my cards right, I might find a way to turn the tables on him.“I’ll need time,” I said, forcing a calm I didn’t feel into my voice. “This isn’t something I can do overnight
New information 🔥🔥🔥I took a deep breath, leaning back into the plush chair as I considered my response. “I told them just enough to make them believe I was completely on their side. I played the role of the loyal ally, Mom. I gave them the impression that I had infiltrated Fabian’s circle and was gathering information for them. Of course, I didn’t tell them the full truth.”She leaned forward, her brows furrowed. “And they believed you?”“Of course,” I said, smiling slyly. “They have no reason not to. Simon and Lucas trust me—probably more than they should. I’ve made sure to position myself as indispensable to both of them.”“Veronica,” she said softly, shaking her head. “You’re playing a very dangerous game. If either Simon or Lucas catches wind that you’re manipulating them, or worse, if Fabian realizes you’re using him, you could lose everything.”“I know, Mom,” I replied, my voice steady. “But I have no choice. Fabian is getting impatient, and if I don’t move quickly, I’ll be
A beginning with an end 🔥🔥🔥**Ashley's POV**As I approached my delivery date, I could feel my anxiety hitting me progressively harder the more I counted down the days. I couldn't pinpoint exactly what was making me anxious, but I would often find myself feeling anxious at random times throughout the day.George was such a godsend because he never let my pregnancy mood swings and seemingly ridiculous requests get to him. He would spend time with me, doing everything he possibly could to make me feel better whenever I was down. The mating bond obviously wasn't going to fade just yet, and so things progressively became much harder for me to cope with, given the fact that I was constantly yearning for both Lucas and Simon. Every time I felt the urge for their touch again, I had to suppress the feelings because there was simply nothing I could do—I was never going back to them.All in all, the journey was long and hard, but having George always come through for me, no matter how busy a
A thrive 🔥🔥🔥It took me quite a while, but I was finally able to get over the loss of my daughter. One thing George did that I found very helpful for the healing of my soul was ensuring that the whole situation didn't escalate with the people or even the domestic workers in the house. He did this by instructing all the midwives not to share the fact that we had three children, with serious punishments attached to anyone who disobeyed this order. As a result, only the midwives, George, and I knew that we had actually given birth to three children, while everyone else, including the domestic workers, believed that we had only two boys.As days passed, although it was really hard for me, especially as a new mom, I still managed to at least make myself happy and strong for the sake of my twin boys, as everyone had started calling them. It was hard for me to forget about my princess, but over time, not having anyone talk about her or her death made my healing process much faster than it
Weight of the past 🔥🔥🔥As the boys ran ahead, chasing each other with laughter echoing through the garden, George walked up behind me. His presence was always steady, like a quiet strength I could lean on when things felt uncertain. “They’re getting bigger every day,” he said, smiling as he watched them.“I know,” I replied, crossing my arms as I leaned into him slightly. “It’s happening too fast.”“They’re strong,” George said, his voice thoughtful. “Stronger than you think. But they’re going to need you more as they grow. You can feel it too, can’t you?”I didn’t need to ask what he meant. There was something about Lucke and Simeon, something more than their royal lineage. I saw it in their eyes sometimes, a quiet intensity, a power they didn’t yet understand. And as much as I wanted to keep them shielded from that world—from their fathers and the bloodline they carried—I knew it was only a matter of time before it caught up to us.“I can,” I admitted softly. “But I’m not ready
Ready or nah? “Ashley, are these your children?” Simon asked. I raised a brow questioningly at him, not finding the tone of his voice respectful or polite in any way.“Yes, and so?” Both Simon and Lucas had the same expression on their faces, so I knew questions would start rolling in at any moment.“Excuse me,” I said, holding both my sons as I attempted to walk away and avoid speaking with them.“Hold on a minute.”“Just wait right there,” they both said at the same time, Simon holding my arm to keep me from moving away.“You do realize you have a lot of explaining to do right now,” Simon continued.“And why is that? I owe neither of you any explanation because I don’t understand what relationship we share that would require me to tell you about my business.”“But you do realize that if what I’m thinking about these children is true, then you definitely have a lot of explaining to do.”“Well, I’m sure what you’re thinking is definitely not true, so just leave me alone. By the way,
What if ....I looked up at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes, and for a moment, the fear that had been gripping me all day melted away. George had always been someone I could lean on, and in that moment, I knew I wasn’t going to be alone in this fight. Whatever Lucas and Simon were planning, we’d find a way through it—together.Just as I was about to thank him again, the porch light flickered on, casting a soft glow over us. We both turned to see two little figures standing in the doorway. They walked away from the shade where they had been standing, their sleepy eyes blinking in the light.“Mommy, Daddy, why are you outside?” Luke asked, rubbing his eyes as he shuffled toward us.I exchanged a glance with George and smiled. “We were just having a conversation, my love. What are you two doing out of bed?”“We can’t sleep,” Simeon mumbled, leaning against the doorframe. “It’s too quiet, and also, we're hungry.”I chuckled softly. “Alright, how about we go inside, have a quick snac
Might be...### ASHLEY'S POVThe house was finally quiet now. Luke and Simeon had both fallen asleep, and so had George, who had just retired to bed. I stood on the porch, staring out at the moonlit view of the city, feeling the weight of the past few days settling heavily over me. As much as I didn't want to dwell on it too much, meeting Lucas and Simon again at the event had been a difficult pill to swallow. The encounter was one I had anticipated and mentally prepared for, yet I still found myself feeling unprepared.I had been careful all these years, keeping my distance even though I knew it could only do so much, building a new life far from the chaos of the Salvatore brothers. But seeing them again had stirred something in me, a part of myself I thought I had buried long ago. It wasn’t just about the complicated history we shared—it was about my sons and the secrets I had kept.Luke and Simeon weren’t just any children. They were unique, remarkably so. And they were Simon and L